Page 53 of A Heart Falls Cowboy Christmas

Kelli sighed mightily, her gaze darting across the yard to the arena where Luke and his team were training the horses. August had arrived with a steamy vengeance as temperatures soared to new daily records.

Outside their house in the shade cast by a strategically placed parachute cloth, the guys had arranged everything for the perfect I’m too pregnant for this escape for her and Ginny.

The deck was also tightly closed in, making it toddler safe. They’d already had a small plastic kiddy pool for Kyle and Demi to splash in, but when the temperatures skyrocketed, Luke and Tucker had hauled onto the deck what Kelli considered the perfect solution—a brand-new galvanized stock tank big enough and deep enough for two adults and a couple of kids to hang out in. Filled to the brim, the water barely brushed the top of her shoulders.

They were filling it fresh each time for safety reasons, so no need for a pump, filter, or heater. Kelli had the hose running, and icy-cold water fresh from the tap felt so good.

For the moment, the kids were happily filling teeny plastic watering pots from their pool and pouring into plastic cups arranged willy-nilly on the deck, so Kelli leaned back in the low lawn chair she’d placed right in the tank and stretched her legs out. Her feet floated upward and she wiggled her toes, the bright red on them flashing beyond the bulge of her baby belly. “I’m glad you made me get a pedicure last month. I can barely see my toes, let alone reach them right now.”

Beside her, Ginny’s cheeks were flushed, but she looked like an earth goddess, all rounded curves and gentle smiles. “Your toes are still there, and bullshit on not being able to see them. You look nearly the same as usual, only with the baby bump. I’m beyond curvy.”

“You look amazing,” Kelli assured her.

She glanced down. She still was thin overall, and her belly mostly went straight out then straight in. Her boobs, however?

Luke was in boob heaven, and she could hardly blame him. She liked her trim non-pregnant body just fine, but it was amazing for once to have va-va-voom cleavage.

She glanced out at the arena again in time to see one of the hands go flying. “Dammit. Alex is still trying to figure out what’s up with Shady Dame, but it looks as if it’s not going very well.”

Ginny followed her gaze and shuddered in sympathy. “Tucker says she’s a good horse, but if they can’t find a fix soon, they’ll have to retire her for good.”

“Which around here means actual retirement, not getting shot, but still.” Kelli watched to be sure Alex shook himself off, nothing more injured than his pride. When he waved his hat at her, she waved back. It was nice that the guys were keeping her in the loop the best they could while she was stuck with two feet on the ground for the foreseeable future. “She’s a smart animal. She’ll be bored out of her mind if she doesn’t get to keep working.”

Kyle squawked, and Demi shouted, tugging a single watering can between them.

Kelli waved Ginny back. “I got this,” she offered, attempting to shoot to her feet the way she normally would.

Nope.

She sighed then laughed. “I still got this, just slower.”

Instead, she rolled to her hands and knees, thankful she’d continued her yoga, albeit modified a lot lately.

A moment later, the kiddos were in the pool with them, happily splashing with the floaty toys on hand.

Kelli sipped from her water bottle before relaxing into her chair again.

“Any news from your grandpa lately?” Ginny asked.

A smile slipped in before Kelli could stop it. Timothy Carlyn had been one of the best unexpected surprises ever. He still lived and worked his ranch in Kentucky, raising Arabians, but he’d been making noises about moving north someday. “He’s been calling every day. Trying to find new ways to ask how I’m doing without straight up asking how I’m doing is getting super funny.”

“He’s a good guy.” Ginny eyed Kelli as she accepted a boat from Kyle. “I guess Sasha isn’t the only one who has to think about legacy planning these days.”

Kelli waved a hand at the idea. “Not remotely the same. Luke and I have grown close to Grandpa Tim, but as sweet as the ranch in Kentucky is, I have zero connection to it.”

“Great horses to train, though,” Ginny pointed out. “You and Luke could easily take over that operation and not only keep it successful but have a blast in the process.”

“Trying to get rid of me?” Kelli said, but she knew the answer was a definite no already. “Be warned. If we headed to Kentucky, you’d be moving too. Because no way, no how, will Tucker and Luke ever agree to live more than half an hour from each other.”

“Ha, you’re overestimating my husband’s tolerance for being Luke-less. Ten minutes, tops.” They grinned at each other before Ginny offered more. “Also, since them living in each other’s pockets means us as well, it’s a good thing you’re not an ass.”

“Good thing,” Kelli agreed before an idea she’d been pondering escaped. “Sasha really is the best person to head to Crooked Creek.”

Right then, Demi and Kyle demanded to be lifted out of the pool. Kelli plopped them over the edge onto the big blanket set out there, and they immediately started playing puppies.

“Interesting. I happen to think the same thing, but tell me your reasons first, and we’ll see if they’re the same as mine.” Ginny passed Kelli a new water bottle from the cooler on the other side of the pool.

“She’s…resilient. I think that’s the word.” Kelli considered. “She’s strong and she’s flexible. No matter what gets thrown at her, she finds a way to do what she thinks is right.”